Near the end of winter, I hiked a route along the South Thompson River – Kamloops Lake Estuary.     Cooney Bay is at the west end of the estuary, but I have a route that starts nearer the east end, following the river upstream, then back down to the lake.    At times of lower water I can sometimes hop across channels to hike some of the silt islands.     The route starts at the end of the paved road near the gate to the rough gravel road.    From there, there is a faint path through the cottonwoods.    A seasonal stream can be crossed at a narrow point and we can follow the river upstream.

The stream drains the large pond in the Tranquille Wildlife Preserve.    There are some wet areas after snowmelt, but we can look for the tall grasses for a dryer path.

On this day, strong winds out of the east roared downriver.    I hiked upstream, flanking a river channel.

The rivershore route can be followed for a while before the river widens.    We can continue on, winding through the tall grasses on the higher bench, but I usually choose to go up and back.

Once back near the spot where I started,  I then turn downstream, following the rivershore to Cooney Bay, going around wet areas.

From Cooney Bay and Kamloops Lake, I returned by the access road for a loop route.    There are often lots of birds along this route, and there were many geese and a few killdeer sheltering in protected wet areas.    This is a good route for bird watching and enjoying nature.

A few moments from the hike are shared in this YouTube video: